Professor Bainbridge, who departed from a lot of conservatives in supporting the Gang of 14 filibuster compromise and bucked the GOP party hierarchy in being a powerful opponent of the Harriet Miers nomination, now feels vindicated. As he notes, it's still too soon to tell for sure how this political drama will all play out -- even though Sam Alito seems almost certain to be confirmed, the real battle royale will come when a replacement for Justice Stevens, the presumptive fifth vote to uphold Roe, is named. Stevens turns 86 this April; whether his replacement will be named by GWB or his successor is anyone's guess.